This invention is directed to gas meters and more particularly to an improved cover construction for a curb meter body. These meters are generally mounted either on the outside wall of a building or home or in a small underground pit at the curb hence their reference as being curb meters. Generally such meters are constructed of an all metal fireproof envelope which defines an interior gas chamber even though the danger of such meters being subjected to fire damage is remote because of their outside and generally underground locations. Typical of such constructions is that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,647,404 to Whitworth issued Aug. 4, 1953 and assigned to Sprague Meter Company, Bridgeport, Conn. In such patent a meter top of cast iron construction cooperates with a cast iron meter body (not shown) to form an interior gas chamber. A driving mechanism for the meter index extends into the gas chamber so as to require a stuffing box seal such that gas does not escape into a secondary compartment in which a gas index including a register is housed. Such secondary housing includes various sealant means by which a transparent cover enables the register to be observed for reading, etc.
Inasmuch as meters of this type are normally housed outside and generally underground, moisture often penetrates into the secondary compartment and causes fogging, condensation, and the like such that the register is difficult to read. When confronted with such a situation, meter readers are not able to obtain a reading thus causing difficulty to the gas company owning and maintaining such meter.
It would be advantageous to provide a modified cover construction such that when utilized in cooperation with already existing gas meter bodies, the troublesome problem of moisture condensation is eliminated in curb meter constructions. Such is an overall objective of the present invention.
Another drawback of existing meter constructions is that they require a number of gaskets, screws, and other sealing mechanisms in order to house the index means in a separate compartment. This requires the gas company owning and maintaining such meters to not only undergo the expense of repair when necessary but also bear the various cost associated with maintaining an inventory of a variety of sealing components. Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is the elimination of such drawbacks associated with the attempted sealing of secondary compartments in which gas index means are housed.
These and other objectives of the present invention are accomplished by entirely eliminating the secondary compartment for the gas meter and mounting the gas index directly and completely inside the interior compartment through which gas flows and, in addition, providing a cover the top wall of which is transparent or at least translucent such that the gas index may be directly viewed therethrough. This unexpected approach and the attendant improved results therefrom is possible with gas meter constructions mounted in a position where fire attack is unlikely, i.e., curb meters, and such term will be used hereinafter for gas and other flow meters mounted in such locations.
In addition by eliminating these gaskets, boot seals, etc., potential gas leak paths through such gaskets, seals, etc. are also eliminated thus resulting in a consequent safety improvement. Further by locating the index inside the housing, the index is rendered inaccessible and thus tamper resistant to those considering gas theft by altering the index. In addition, any condensation problem associated with the index is also eliminated since the flow of the gas through the housing will remove any moisture.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.